This is a place to ask questions about digestive problems and receive a personal answer from a highly qualified doctor. You will also find support from other members who share your interest in digestive disorders.
Digestive Disorders include: Anal and Rectal problems, Barrett’s Esophagus, Bleeding in the Stomach and Digestive Tract, Constipation, Crohn’s Disease, Gastritis, GERD, Heartburn, Proctitis, Short Bowel Syndrome, Ulcers, Whipple’s Disease, Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (and many more).

Grainy and fingernail ridges

I have elimination issues. I tend to be constantly mildly constipated. It is completely laughable when all I ever read or hear is drink more water, digest more fiber, and get more exercise, which I have done religiously to no avail. In fact fiber makes things worse. I also find that I can not eat apples, bananas, green leafy vegetables (which means no salads), and of course no cheese or iron. It is very frustrating to me, to not be able to eat good wholesome food.

Currently my doctor has me on medication with side effects of constipation, which has extremely compounded an already existing condition. He had me try otc remedies, which I hated all of them and I finally settled on 8oz of prune juice everyday. However, I grew tired of ingesting such large amounts of prune juice and now have begun using Phillips Milk of Magnesia, 2

Changes in the fingernails can be due to a variety of malabsorption syndromes. Iron deficiency anemia can also lead to fingernail changes. Finally, more widespread diseases like Crohn's disease and celiac disease may have fingernail changes as one of their symptoms.

I would discuss diagnosis of these conditions with your personal physician. A blood count, iron studies, endoscopy, and stool tests looking for malabsorption are amongst the tests that should be considered in the evaluation.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

No, not undigested food. I don't know how else to describe. It is not like seeds or nuts either. Maybe more like cornmeal, sort of..

That is one of the better sites I have seen for fingernails, thanks for posting. That site suggested that vertical ridges could indicate disorders as simple as iron deficiency, poor absorption of vitamins and nutrients, overall poor health. Also, could be a result of vitamin deficiency, one of which is the B vitamins.

I can see maybe iron deficiency, since iron causes me so much trouble. Although I have heard there is an iron that doesn't result in constipation, but I don't know what kind of iron that would be. Well, at least it gives me something to think about, thanks.

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